Oil Change - Which oil to use???

Ordered my 2k7 r1 a week before christmas. Picked it up the first weekend in February. Been riding A LOT since March 1st. Coming up on first oil change. Need advice -- yamalube? or full synthetic (valvoline synpower 10w30).

I would hold off on the synthetic until atleast 1k miles, use a good mineral based motorcyle oil until everything is nice and seated in.

I changed to full synthetic (Castrol R4) at 400 km or 250 miles in your talk. Best thing for it I think. Gotta be careful around this as can be a touchy subject..

Optifour

I changed my oil at 600 miles to motul 100% synthetic.:riding

While we are on this subject: I'm thinking of dropping the oil pan and cleaning it out thoroughly. For those who haven't been following the 'break in' threads, some believe that the new production standards (much higher precision is possible today) combined with the new cylinder coating technologies (from the Yamaha literature: High silicon-content ceramic-composite cylinder sleeves ensure great heat dissipation for consistent power delivery and reduced friction) require a RAPID break in. That means, subject the engine to full load as soon as possible as long as the engine is up to running temperature and the oil pressure is to spec. I have to admit, even I, who have attained a BS in Material Science, don't exactly know what the implications are of the cylinder coatings. They are, after all, proprietary. But, from an Engineer's perspective, it seems to make sense. Its a bit of a VooDoo science, since one would not be inclined to experiment with their personal ride. The most cautious approach would be to do the simple pan drop-n-clean. We know that there is a great deal of "material removal" that happens during break in. To deal with this "rigorously", one would obtain a statistically significant "sample population" and subject half of them to standard break in and the rest to rapid break in. Then one would follow them through their lifetime subjecting them to dynamometer , leak-down, and service history testing at regular intervals. If we are talking about $10 widgets its one thing but we are talking about $12,000 motorcycles. Its very probable that, in the end, there may be no SIGNIFICANT difference in break in procedures. The fact is, this has not been done (as far as I know). But this is not a satisfying answer, its no answer in fact. Well, let's now talk about warranty! The break in procedure that the factory recommends looks the same as it did in 1979 when I first became a Yamaha wrench. A lot of things have changed since then. The fastest thing you could by back then was the Yamaha XS1100 and it was shaft drive! It had iron sleeves in an air cooled aluminum block. Things are very different today yet the break in procedure is identical. But, from a lawyer's perspective... Okay, what could be the REAL difference between break in procedures? Streetwise, probably no noticeable performance difference but perhaps a legal distinction that could, potentially, void your warranty. Is the potential performance difference worth risking your warranty? This is a personal decision. In having said that, I personally, will be subjecting my engine to high loads, change the oil early and I'll drop the pan to clean it thoroughly. I won't put low friction lubrication into the bike until I'm done with the break in period of 1000 miles. It doesn't matter whether its Castrol GTX (conventional oil) or cutting edge synthetic (insert favorite brand here). But that's just me.

While we are on this subject: I'm thinking of dropping the oil pan and cleaning it out thoroughly. For those who haven't been following the 'break in' threads, some believe that the new production standards (much higher precision is possible today) combined with the new cylinder coating technologies (from the Yamaha literature: High silicon-content ceramic-composite cylinder sleeves ensure great heat dissipation for consistent power delivery and reduced friction) require a RAPID break in. That means, subject the engine to full load as soon as possible as long as the engine is up to running temperature and the oil pressure is to spec. I have to admit, even I, who have attained a BS in Material Science, don't exactly know what the implications are of the cylinder coatings. They are, after all, proprietary. But, from an Engineer's perspective, it seems to make sense. Its a bit of a VooDoo science, since one would not be inclined to experiment with their personal ride. The most cautious approach would be to do the simple pan drop-n-clean. We know that there is a great deal of "material removal" that happens during break in. To deal with this "rigorously", one would obtain a statistically significant "sample population" and subject half of them to standard break in and the rest to rapid break in. Then one would follow them through their lifetime subjecting them to dynamometer , leak-down, and service history testing at regular intervals. If we are talking about $10 widgets its one thing but we are talking about $12,000 motorcycles. Its very probable that, in the end, there may be no SIGNIFICANT difference in break in procedures. The fact is, this has not been done (as far as I know). But this is not a satisfying answer, its no answer in fact. Well, let's now talk about warranty! The break in procedure that the factory recommends looks the same as it did in 1979 when I first became a Yamaha wrench. A lot of things have changed since then. The fastest thing you could by back then was the Yamaha XS1100 and it was shaft drive! It had iron sleeves in an air cooled aluminum block. Things are very different today yet the break in procedure is identical. But, from a lawyer's perspective... Okay, what could be the REAL difference between break in procedures? Streetwise, probably no noticeable performance difference but perhaps a legal distinction that could, potentially, void your warranty. Is the potential performance difference worth risking your warranty? This is a personal decision. In having said that, I personally, will be subjecting my engine to high loads, change the oil early and I'll drop the pan to clean it thoroughly. I won't put low friction lubrication into the bike until I'm done with the break in period of 1000 miles. It doesn't matter whether its Castrol GTX (conventional oil) or cutting edge synthetic (insert favorite brand here). But that's just me.Why not simply flush the crankcase with kerosene whatever is lying around in there will wash away with the kero. Just a word of warning if you go this way don't wash down the clutch assy too much best to leave whatever oil is there alone. When completely drained of kero pour about 500 ml of new oil back into the crankcase and then drain it too, this will pick up the small remnants of kero. Fill as per normal. No warranty issues now. I have done this twice now, once at 200km and then again at 400km with the latter seeing next to nothing in the way of metal particles.

I used motul

On the subject of break in, I am a FIRM believer in hard break-in. But not without a few caveats... 1. ALWAYS let it warm to operating temperature. My bike doesn't see 1st gear until it shows at least 140 degrees. 2. First oil change at 20 miles. I did, and it was definitely gray. You don't want that particulate running through your bike. Next changes at 500, and 1000. 3. Petroleum oil for at least the first 1000 miles. After that, your break-in should be complete and you can run whatever you want. (Personally, I'm an AMSOIL fan, but this topic belongs elsewhere.) Besides the annoying 2nd gear "Yamalag", I think my bike runs, shifts, and idles very well. I've done this same process for every bike I've owned (Except my 95 GSXR 750 and it was already born a turtle). Oh- and for break in I used plain 'ol Yamalube 4.

Oh! 1 more thing.... If you just take the plug/filter out and drain the oil, you'll get most of it. BUT- if you tip the bike over to the left side as close as you can get it to the ground (scary) with the plug/filter off, you will get at least another pint of the old oil out as well.

I sold a 2004 gixxer with 40,000 miles on it, all by me. I have never used anything else but Shell Rotella non-synthetic (the one for diesel engines) every 3000 miles. It's 7.99/gallon :crash . Never had a problem with the engine/clutch/transmission/anything. I changed the oil in the r1 with the same oil at 600 miles and did a normal break in for both bikes.

Motul 300V

I sold a 2004 gixxer with 40,000 miles on it, all by me. I have never used anything else but Shell Rotella non-synthetic (the one for diesel engines) every 3000 miles. It's 7.99/gallon :crash . Never had a problem with the engine/clutch/transmission/anything. I changed the oil in the r1 with the same oil at 600 miles and did a normal break in for both bikes.I would be careful using a diesel spec oil, maybe ok in GSXR motors their agricultural anyway.LOL. ..............Awaiting the slaughter....

This is a religious question :)